The Parents of the Tomlinson Focus Generation: John and Catherine Tomlinson

The Parents of the Tomlinson Focus Generation: John and Catherine Tomlinson

John Tomlinson 

Corroborated vital documents for John are scarce. Circumstantial evidence indicates a birth in 1797, marriage prior to 1824, and death in 1859. No birth or marriage record has been located. There is an obituary dated 31 January 1859[1].  John was likely a Quaker, certainly Catherine his wife was a practicing Quaker as documented in many records.

Shown is a cropped photo from a metallic plate as described to me by his granddaughter, Margaret Tomlinson, as John Tomlinson lying in state. 

John was a common name for Pennsylvania Tomlinsons, whether or not Quakers. A John thought to be the person of interest here, comes up in many Quaker records but always described as the husband of Catherine, as if she was the devout Quaker and his role in the faith was questionable. Quaker minutes[2] and indexes for the Radnor, PA meeting house for 1833 and subsequent years refer to John only as "the husband of Catherine". However a letter[3] dated 3 August 1849, from the Radnor Monthly meeting of Friends introduces Catherine and John to the Philadelphia Meeting. However, John was not listed in the family group in the 1860 Census[4], nor is the family group found in the 1850 Census. The 1870 Census refers to Catherine as a widow.[6]

John is presumed  deceased by 1860, and there are 3 John Tomlinson deaths recorded in 1858 and 1859. A Find-a-Grave member has added a Memorial[5], based on the 1859 obituary. There is some corroborating evidence that it is the right John. An 1850 Philadelphia Quaker meeting record lists Catherine with Reuben and Jesse (sons) at corner of 15^th and Barclay Street. The obituary for John Tomlinson who died on 27 Jan 1859, age 63 years, also states his late residence as “corner of 15^th and Barclay”. 

So was John a seaman, hence not available for Quaker meetings, as he was not recorded in minutes reviewed so far? Nor was he in residence on Barclay Street in the 1850 listing with Catherine, Reuben and Jesse. There is a Seaman’s Oath for service[7] taken by a John Tomlinson 7 May 1818 at 21 years of age and witnessed by his brother Jesse. There is also an earlier oath taken in 1815. He is described as 5’7” tall, dark hair, hazel eyes, stout nose, round chin, smooth face and dark complexion. The document states that John was born in the County of Chester, which included the township of Radnor, or did up to 1789, when Delaware County was split from Chester.[8] That Jesse’s name as a brother is interesting. The name Jesse also appears on the 1843 Quaker marriage record explained below.

Thus Jumping ahead to 1877, there is a Quaker death notice[9] for Lydia Tomlinson in Minneapolis, age 78. She was buried adjacent to William and Reuben Tomlinson, known to be sons of Catherine and John Tomlinson. The plots were purchased by William’s widow, Emma Sower Tomlinson Secombe when he died in 1873. Lydia’s obituary states that she was a sister of the late Eliza T. (Tomlinson) Wayne. The Quaker Philadelphia (Cherry Street) marriage record[10] of Eliza Tomlinson to William Wayne 6 March 1834 states Eliza as the daughter of John and Lydia Tomlinson, ‘both deceased’. In attendance at the wedding were Jesse and Lydia Tomlinson presumed siblings of Eliza, and perhaps siblings of John who did not attend. 

Origins of John Tomlinson

Presume there is a sibling group of John, Eliza, Lydia and Jesse. There may be more siblings, but not yet found. Their parents could have been John and Lydia Bailey as recorded in Eliza’s marriage record of 1834, but predeceased her. There is a marriage record out of unity where a Lydia Baily is disowned 2 October 1784[11], but no confirmation as married to whom. There is also a Lydia Tomlinson, “wife of John” whose death is recorded as 7 November 1807[12].  The extensive obituary for Harry Ashton Tomlinson, a grandson of John and Catherine Tomlinson, states that he was descended from Irish Quakers who landed in Lewes, Delaware about 1759 and later located to Philadelphia[13]. In fact large numbers of Quakers from Ireland emigrated to Pennsylvania and New Jersey in the late 17^th and early 18^th Centuries. The author of this blog tested Y-111 DNA and was matched with several others who have recorded descent from Irish Quakers. However, direct ties to their trees have not been substantiated.

Catherine Tomlinson's history will be described in another blog posting.

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[1] Press (Philadelphia, PA). Monday, January 31, 1859. Page 4]

[2] Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Minutes, 1827-1851; Collection: Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minutes; Call Number: MR-Ph 539

[3] Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Record of Certificates; Collection: Quaker Meeting Records; Call Number: RG2/Ph/R31 3.5

[4] Year: 1860; Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 1 Precincts 6, 7, and 9, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: M653_1151; Page: 604; Image: 610; Family History Library Film: 805151

[5] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/172149538

[6] Year: 1870; Census Place: Minneapolis Ward 3, Hennepin, Minnesota; Roll: T132_5; Page: 484; Image: 569; Family History Library Film: 830425

[7] National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Proofs of Citizenship Used to Apply for Seamen's Certificates for the Port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1792-1881, Publ. Ancestry.com

[8] Wikipedia, County history, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester_County,_Pennsylvania

[9] Quaker Periodicals, Haverford College; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; The Journal; Volumes: 1877 Jan - 1881 Jan (Vol 5 - 8)

[10] Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Certificates of Marriage, 1828; Collection: Quaker Meeting Records; Call Number: MR Ph:366

[11] U.S., Hinshaw Index to Selected Quaker Records, 1680-1940

[12] Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Certificate of Removal, 1681-1758; Collection: Quaker Meeting Records; Call Number: MR Ph:396

[13] Library of Congress. Pioneering the Upper Midwest: Books from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, ca. 1820-1910. [database on-line] Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1999. Shutter, Marion Daniel. Progressive Men of Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN: Minneapolis Journal, 1897.

John Wesley Phelps of Springfield, MA and Family

John Wesley Phelps and Family

3 Jan 1844, Springfield MA – 8 Jan 1902 Minneapolis, MN

John W. Phelps was the second son and last born of Willis Phelps and Maria Bartlett of Springfield, MA. Willis was a major railroad contractor throughout the Northeast and Midwest from the 1840’s to his death in 1883. He left a small and complicated fortune to his surviving sons, Henry Willis and John Wesley. They both were involved in the father’s companies and eventually both settled in Minneapolis since most of the railroad construction was centered in the Midwest in the latter 1800’s. While in Springfield, both brothers were short term members of the Massachusetts legislature, hence their portraits are in State archives. Each brother has a story to tell and this one is for John. 

Since the father moved constantly due to the location of his railroad contracts, John moved also. In 1850 at 6 years old, he is with family in Adams, Jefferson County, NY. At age 16, the family is back in Springfield. He attended Amherst College and is listed as a freshman in the 1862 Olio annual and as a sophomore in 1863. The 1883 Amherst College 20 year reunion annual lists John as the President of the Connecticut Central R.R. and a member of the Massachusetts Legislature, and married to Helen Eliza Clark with residency in Springfield.

Two marriages

John married Helen Clark, daughter of Jonathan Allen Clark and Electa Strong, 9 Jan 1865, at her parents’ residence in Northampton, MA. They had one son, Willis, b. 9 Aug 1866 while residing in Springfield. They continued to live in Springfield in 1870 with son Willis. In July 1873, John applied for a U.S. Passport for himself and Helen. His physical description was reported as  5’8’ in stature, hazel eyes, small mouth, round chin, black hair, ruddy complexion with a full face. There was no record as to their travel plans. However in 1874, this apparently settled family started to unwind.

Based on several newspaper articles, the story unfolds thus: 

In 1874, Helen Phelps hired Miss Fannie (Frances) Thayer as a live-in dressmaker. Fannie’s overtures to Mr. Phelps were so bold that Mrs. Phelps ordered her from the home, but John put her up in a local boarding house. John convinced his wife that there was no illicit relationship, so Fannie was hired back to the family home. But in December 1877, John and Fanny sailed off to Europe, leaving Helen and young Willis behind. Six months later, John pleaded forgiveness which was granted and he returned home. This reunification did not last as six months later in January 1878, John left again with Fanny to England. The following year, he pleaded forgiveness again and Helen came to England to reconcile. It is not recorded how this reconciliation turned out, but it was long enough for John to have Helen sign the family home to his name. John returned soon after so he could take up some of his father’s railroad business in Maryland. 

In 1881, while in Fargo, ND, John commenced divorce proceedings, but his wife claimed she was not legally notified and she had the divorce decree set aside. In the meantime, John married Fanny in Minneapolis on 4 November 1881, with whom he had a child, Louise Wesley, in Wales in 1878. In trying to obtain a second divorce decree, John had lied to the court so he and Fanny with Louisa had fled to New Brunswick where he resided until 1884, at which time Helen sued for divorce and a settlement which was granted in March 1885. While on a secret visit to New York, John was arrested and charged with bigamy. John fled again upstate and was arrested a second time in Fishkill Landing, NY in July 1886 where he was employed as Superintendent of Waterworks. John was escorted under guard to attend trial in Minneapolis. Helen Clark appeared in person at the trial. The news articles after this point moved on from the story which had been followed in several states, but failed to report the trial outcome. 

Remaining years in Minneapolis

John Phelps remained in Minneapolis until his death 8 January 1902 at age 56. He had inherited half of the sizable wealth and an annuity from his father’s estate, although Willis Phelps inserted a clause in his will that “no part... shall be given to her....known as Fannie Thayer”. John also speculated in the land boom in the Dakotas and likely elsewhere. His probate was filed with his own estate valued at $21,000, with Fanny as sole Executrix.  

John Wesley’s son by Helen was Willis Phelps (b. 1866) who had graduated from Yale University, likely about 1886. There is no record of his career or possible marriage or why he moved to Minneapolis, other than his father and stepmother were living there. However at age 29, he died there, cause unknown, 30 April 1895. 

John’s second child, Louise Wesley by his second wife, Frances, married George Kinnicut Morse 24 June 1904. Louise was reported to have been born in Wales or Paris depending on which newspaper reported her father’s bigamy story. It seems that the sins of the father ran through the next generation. Louise and George had their first child, a son, born in 1905, but died shortly after birth. On 13 September 1909 they had twins, one of which again died in childbirth. The surviving girl was named Frances Louisa Morse. 

The marriage did not last, as the couple divorced in 1913 and George remarried later that year to Hattie Ott.  This marriage also did not last as George took a third wife in 1925, by the name of Madge. After George’s divorce from Louise Phelps, she also dropped from the records as the 1920 Census lists her daughter, Frances living with her grandmother Frances (Fanny). Fanny dies in 1929 and is buried in Lakewood Cemetery Minneapolis. 

The granddaughter Frances, became a school teacher and taught in Great Falls, Montana in the 1930’s and 1940’s. She may have reunited with her father, George near Bellingham, Washington as he lived there until his death in 1952. Frances lived in the area until her death in 1996. Her remains were sent back to Lakewood in Minneapolis to be buried. No record was found for her mother Louise’s death or whether she remarried.

The end of this story is that John Wesley Phelps who was born into privilege and with many opportunities, broke hearts, died younger than he should have, and left no survivors to this day.